Loyola Data Science Initiative

The LDSI is exploring the merits of establishing a university-wide data science resource with a focus on collaboration and support across disciplines. As a shared resource, the LDSI will focus on interdisciplinary data science research and innovation, while creating new avenues to assist faculty research, secure major grants, and attract students while remaining consistent with the Loyola Mission of working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith in an ethical and responsible manner.

The benefits of pursuing this initiative for the University include:

• Increase opportunities to secure computationally intensive major grants and corporate sponsorships.
• Impact faculty research publication productivity by providing access to a dedicated team of data scientists.
• Serve as a data science focal point to engage faculty across campus acting as a central coordination and communication hub.
• Impact student enrollment by promoting data science at Loyola.
• Publish relevant and significant research.
• Generate funding via corporate projects and commercialization of IP.
• Offer student and faculty training and workshops.
• Assist students in securing internships and job placement.
• Raise the University’s visibility.
• Complement/support existing institutes/research centers.
• Advance inclusion in the data science field.

Activities

The ten areas of LDSI activity under consideration include:

1. Assist in coordinating university-wide data science activities.
2. Ensure that Loyola’s data science research/activities are broadly communicated both internally and externally.
3. Publish data science research and support faculty computationally intensive research.
4. Organize educational and professional conferences.
5. Create commercially viable IP.
6. Facilitate student and faculty training.
7. Undertake sponsored research with corporations and other organizations.
8. Support Loyola in meeting its AI needs.
9. Secure major research grants.
10. Enhance student internships and career placement in the field.

An example of a collaborative research project under consideration include (please note others are being proposed):

Bias Reduction in Artificial Intelligence Models within Radiation Oncology 

Artificial intelligence (AI) provides many opportunities to improve healthcare. AI models require a significant amount of training data to make accurate predictions. However, several groups have been historically absent or underrepresented within biomedical datasets (e.g., women, ethnic minorities, etc.) These omissions can lead to biases in AI models that may adversely impact patient outcomes within these underrepresented groups. In Radiation Oncology, AI models are routinely used for delineating normal tissues in planning CT scans, and in developing radiation treatment plans. However, the impact of potential biases in these models has not been explored. To address this issue, in conjunction with the LDSI, we plan to identify and understand the impact of bias in AI models used in the Radiation Oncology setting with the following research goals considered: 

• Understand the types of training sets (demographics, distribution of under-represented populations, etc.) used within AI models for Radiation Oncology. 
• Evaluate these models across various sub-groups providing quantitative comparisons of their performance. Example metrics include treatment plan quality, the accuracy of delineated organs, etc., and how these compare among majority vs. underrepresented groups. 
• Development of AI-based models for various underrepresented groups and determining if the accuracy of such models is improved for these groups vs. using a single model for all patients. 
• Develop resources and seminars to educate medical practitioners and vendors on potential biases within AI models.

While the focus will be within the Radiation Oncology setting, such an approach can serve as a blueprint for evaluating and mitigating sources of bias within the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center and across other specialties. 

Agenda

Activity	Speakers
10:00 a.m. Introduction to LDSI Retreat	Steven Keith Platt, Director of Analytics and Lecturer of Statistics and AI, Quinlan School of Business
10:10 a.m. Welcome	Margaret Faut Callahan, Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Loyola University
10:15 a.m. Presentation of LDSI	Michael Behnam, Dean, Quinlan School of Business
10:30 a.m. LDSI Impact	Meharvan Sonny Singh, Prof. of Cell and Molecular Physiology, Vice Dean of Research, Stritch School of Medicine, and Vice Provost for Research, Loyola University Chicago Sam J. Marzo, MD, Dean and Chief Diversity Officer, Prof. of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Neurosurgery, Stritch School of Medicine Nancy Tuchman, Dean, School of Environmental Sustainability Elaine Morrato, Dean, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Leadership Committee, Institute of Translational Medicine Catherine Putonti, Associate Dean, Interdisciplinary Initiatives and Academic Innovation, College of Arts and Sciences Lorna Finnegan, Dean, Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing Jeanne Widen, Interim Dean, School of Continuing and Professional Studies James Marley, Interim Dean, School of Social Work
12:00 p.m. Lunch
12:45 p.m. Faculty Research Presentations	Samie Tootooni (session moderator), Assistant Professor, Health Informatics and Data Science, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health Danielle Booker, Assistant Professor of Accounting, Quinlan School of Business Holly Mattix-Kramer, Professor of Nephrology and Public Health Sciences, Stritch School of Medicine, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health John C. Roeske, Professor and Chief of the Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiation Oncology, Stritch School of Medicine, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health Peter Kekenes-Huskey, Associate Professor, Cell and Molecular Physiology, Stritch School of Medicine Bamidele Tayo, Professor, Public Health Sciences, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health Reuben Keller, Associate Professor, Graduate Program Director, School of Environmental Sustainability George K. Thiruvathukal, Prof. of Computer Science and Dept. Chair, Computer Science, College of Arts and Sciences Marilee Bresciani Ludvik, Associate Provost and Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Office of the President
1:55 p.m. Institutes and Centers	Ron Price (session moderator), Associate VP of Infomatics and Clinical Research, Information Technology Services Elaine Morrato, Dean, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health, Leadership Committee, Institute of Translational Medicine Cara Joyce, Director of Biostatistics Core, Clinical Research Office, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine Seth L. Robia, Professor of Physiology and Co-Director, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Stritch School of Medicine Peter Larsen, Assistant Director of Loyola Genomics Facility, Stritch School of Medicine Nicholas Soulakis, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health Informatics and Data Science; Director, Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health William Small, Jr., Department Chairperson of Radiation Oncology, Director of the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, and Professor of Radiation Oncology, Stritch School of Medicine Florence Chee, Associate Professor of Digital Communication, Director of the Center for Digital Ethics and Policy, and Director of SIMLab, School of Communication Robert Wagner, Professor of Radiology and Director of Nuclear Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine Heather E. Price, Associate Director of Research, Institute for Racial Justice
3:10 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Strategy Breakout Sessions	Session 1: Data Science and Technology in Research Session 2: Data Science and Technology in Education Session 3: Industry / Community Partnerships and Outreach
4:15 p.m. Strategy Breakout Session Summaries	Samie Tootooni, Assistant Professor, Health Informatics and Data Science, Parkinson School of Public Health   Ron Price, Associate VP of Informatics and Clinical Research, Information Technology Services Steven Keith Platt, Director of Analytics and Lecturer of Statistics and AI, Quinlan School of Business
4:45 p.m. Concluding Remarks
5:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception
7:00 p.m. Evening Ends